Following an epic 7-1 win by the Edmonton Oilers over Disney Dudes the Anaheim Ducks, on home ice, it was only fitting that the human version of Milo Aukerman greeted the crowd with chants of; “Ducks Suck.” Gentlemanly and more than gracious too, considering Descendents are fresh in from SoCal.

Even though he was kind of an after thought to the original ’78 line up, Aukerman has become the poster boy for this now middle aged chunk of punk. A veritable caricature of himself, to pass him in the street you’d likely think he was a coder, or some king of science nerd. You’d be spot on in that thought…In a former life Aukerman gained a doctorate in Biology…

You only have to avert your eyes toward the floor, and bear witness to his (slightly aromatic) Converse, flanked by sport socks, hairy legs, and long shorts, to confirm what you suspected…this man is a PUNK!

Of course, many forget that Aukerman descended later, and that we also need to mention founding member Bill Stevenson (drums) and Stephen Egerton (guitar) and Karl Alvarez (bass) who both joined the band in 1987.

When fifty percent of your crowd is younger than the age of your band, you might think that they are just at the show for shits and giggles. Not so with this crowd, it would seem. There were no Paris Hiltons in this crowd. These grimy gobbers were as loud as the band, amplified every word that our cartoon singer was eliminating, and were as physical as they were loud. The steamy pong of beer soaked sweat was a really apparent addition to the atmosphere.

About to head to Europe on another leg of the Hypercaffium Spazzinate tour, these “barely’ tattooed and considerably normal looking middle aged blokes, don’t particularly exude punk in a Jay Adams (RIP) or Fat Mike manner, but they sure appear to have tapped into the psyche of both their peers and their respective semen. They say what they mean and they mean what they scream, and those around them suck it up like a slightly mildewy, been left in a warm and damp bathroom for too long, sponge.

Headbangerwoman sometimes doesn’t really get it when it comes to punk, but we also are fucked if we’ll judge those who do, and on this musical occasion, as with many before it, and likely for a good many years to come, the crowd appears to give us the review we are looking for, without us having to review at all.

Edmonton fan Tony Carey, who was still in the crowd at 21.15, WAY after Headbangerwoman.com had left the building, reported that the show right now was: Fuckin’ sick!!!!!! OK Tony, we’ll give that to you, and hope you weren’t the recipient of too much gozz and toppled beer.

In 1994 Headbangerwoman didn’t pay to gain entry to The Phoenix Festival in Long Marston, Stratford Upon Avon, England, where a much younger and way edgier NOFX took the main stage, early on Sunday July 17. Again on November 7 2016, Headbangerwoman didn’t pay to be granted access to the first of two SOLD OUT NOFX shows at Union Hall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The most recent show came with pit access; Not that being at eye level with Fat Mikes pasty knees is really an admirable spot, but at least it provided a barrier between Headbangerwoman and 600 sweaty, rowdy fans who were already shoving, clamouring, and hurling, um…”stuff.” Not to mention the odd prick hurling themselves.

Fat Mike has nice knees

Even before the band appeared on stage there was an urgency for some to start pushing and shoving the crowd towards the barrier. Security, while trying their hardest to diffuse any situations that were brewing were advised by the bands management to leave it alone. They did just that and the intensity appeared to level out…there are no reports of major injuries.

Aside from one compete prick jumping on stage and kicking Fat Mike in the ankle that he’d recently injured at a Vancouver show, there was relatively little in the way of knob headedness. Maybe he was hoping he’d get kicked in the head and have a story to tell….

El Hefe

NOFX fans are in the crowd to drink in the atmosphere. This show had atmosphere in gallon buckets. There was (as always) banter, and there was drinking, but most importantly there was music.

Eric Melvin

MOST in the crowd sang along to every last motherfucking song at this show. They were probably four years old when Headbangerwoman attended her first NOFX show. Bridging the age gap is apparently something that these four middle aged, less than conforming blokes do well. They certainly managed to attract every misfit and freak in the Greater Edmonton for this show. A formidable achievement. Bo Derek had long since done a runner, and most of those in attendance would be in fact leaving to go home with Bo Diddley….

While many would be reviled at a middle aged portly bloke with a mohawk, wearing a black dress, and preaching his particular brand of art on a stage, in this moment it was exactly perfect. Michael Buble, while he is surely pleasant and all that, just doesn’t have what it takes, like Fat Mike does.

NOFX have managed near cult status, while keeping it so ground roots that it almost beggers belief, and it seems entirely possibly that they could pull off a full week of SOLD OUT shows in this very conservative town, no issue.